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*These reading passages can be accessed on DiscoveryEd Techbook Unit 3.3: Mesopotamian
Innovations and Contributions - “Explore” pages 1, 4, 5
Mesopotamian Innovations and Contributions
Mesopotamia was home to several of the world’s earliest civilizations. These civilizations made several
big advances in technology and culture. These improvements and innovations affected other cultures in
the region. They were so important they affected human history. One of the most important cultural
advances came from the Sumerian civilization in Mesopotamia.
The First System of Writing
The Sumerians were the first people to develop a system of writing. The Sumerian writing system is
called cuneiform. It was developed around 3300 BCE. At about the same time, the Egyptians were
developing hieroglyphs. Egyptian hieroglyphs used symbols to represent sounds as well as entire words.
However, the cuneiform symbols represented only sounds. Although it looks nothing like our modern
ABCs, cuneiform is considered the first alphabet.
Sumerians wrote on clay tablets. They used a pen-shaped tool with a pointed end. This tool was made
from the stem of a reed and called a stylus. Sumerians pressed a stylus into soft clay, creating wedgeshaped marks. Cuneiform means “wedge writing.” When the writer, called a scribe, was done, the clay
was allowed to dry. The hardened tablets were not easy to move from place to place. But they were
strong enough to last for more than 3,000 years! Experts on ancient cultures have found thousands of
these tablets. Many of them were in surprisingly good shape.
The Impact of Writing
The development of writing affected all parts of Sumerian life. Farmers could record which crops they
grew each year. They could write down plans for future planting. Merchants were able to keep detailed
records of their trades. Laws could be put in writing and people in different areas would all know the
same rules. Records could be kept when people did not agree about the law. Records of the resulting
decisions or settlements could also be kept.
Reading and writing cuneiform was difficult. Children had to go to school to learn it. Schools were
usually located in temples. Teachers would write a passage on one half of a clay tablet. The student
would copy the teacher’s symbols onto the other half.
The Sumerians used cuneiform writing in almost every part of their daily lives. They kept detailed and
careful records of every item they bought. For example, they would note when they bought land and
when they bought shoes. They wrote letters. They wrote prayers to the gods and epic stories about gods
and heroes. The Sumerians even created dictionaries and wrote articles about math and science. We are
fortunate that so much Sumerian writing has survived. Because of that, we know a lot about who the
Sumerians were and how they lived.
The Mesopotamian Calendar
How did the creation of a calendar improve agriculture?
Many different calendars were developed in Mesopotamia. They varied slightly from kingdom to
kingdom. Over time, many of the kingdoms began to use the Babylonian calendar. In this calendar,
months were about 30 days long. They were named after 12 groups of stars in the sky that had been
given names. The Babylonian names for these star groups were Nisanu, Ayaru, Simanu, Du’uzu, Abu,
Ululu, Tashritu, Arakhsamna, Kislimu, Tebetu, Shabatu, and Adaru. The basis of our modern 12-month
calendar can be seen in these 12 groups.
The ancient Mesopotamian calendars were lunar. This means they were based on the cycle of the moon.
This is different from our modern calendar, which is based on Earth’s orbit around the sun.
The Mesopotamian calendars helped farmers know when floods would be coming. This knowledge
improved agriculture in Mesopotamia. Farmers could plant at a time when the floods would not wash
away their crops. As a result, farmers were able to harvest more food. This extra food allowed the cities
to support more people. Some of the extra food could be traded for other goods. This helped
Mesopotamians establish trade with other civilizations.
Advances in Technology
How did Mesopotamian technological innovations improve agriculture, trade, and transportation?
Mesopotamia was a fertile region. It was located between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Farming was
a large part of life in the region. Many important innovations in early Mesopotamia were developed to
make farming easier. However, these innovations also affected trade and transportation as well.
Wheel and Plow
The inventions of the wheel and the plow were important advances. Wheels allowed for quicker and
easier transportation. Before the wheel, people had to carry their goods or use animals to carry their
loads. The wheel allowed the use of carts. This made it possible for traders to carry more goods and
supplies. They could also move more quickly along trade routes.
The plow made it easier to break up the soil for planting. Plows were made of iron and were pulled by
oxen. By using these new tools, farmers could do more work. They could also work more quickly.
Metalwork and Pottery
Mesopotamians also learned to work with metals. They used iron, copper, tin, and gold. They melted
the metals and poured them into molds to create tools and plows. The table below lists some of the
goods made from metals. Mesopotamians also melted copper to create containers. These could be used
to store and transport a variety of materials.
The tools and weapons that were made from metal were stronger than those made out of wood. The
metal items also lasted longer. The Mesopotamians traded metal goods to other civilizations. This
helped spread the use of metals to new places.
Archaeologists have also found evidence that Mesopotamians made pottery. They had tools to shape
clay into useful forms and harden them over high heat. Some of their clay objects featured artistic
designs. Some could be used to transport and store grains and other crops. This was important for trade
and for keeping an adequate supply of food. The people also used clay containers to offer food to the
gods when performing religious customs.
Mesopotamian Innovations and Contributions
Description
Innovation/Contribution
Cuneiform (Writing
System)
Mesopotamian
Calendar
Wheel and Plow
Metalwork and
Pottery
Why was it invented? How did it work?
Impact on Mesopotamian
society AND future society
How did this innovation revolutionize
Mesopotamian society? How can we still
see the impact of it in today’s world?